Results 26,141-26,160 of 26,986 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Employment of Agency Staff: Employment of Agency Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Question 30: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of agency staff employed in the public sector; the agencies being used; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20372/11]

Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----which would mean resisting the EU and IMF austerity programme, then our public finances would be in a much better state by approximately €7 billion. Add to that the €5 billion we must pay in interest repayments this year and a little tax on the wealthy in the country and one could make up the deficit without imposing austerity.

Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I asked a genuine question.

Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We are paying through cuts in social welfare.

Public Service Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I apologise because I must leave in a minute to go to a housing meeting, which relates to my question about-----

Public Service Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will mention you, a Cheann Comhairle. It is in The Graduate. The meeting is about the fact that no social housing will be built directly and we are going to start leasing in Dún Laoghaire from private landlords.

Public Service Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It does connect. I am not playing fast and loose. Is this how to get good value for public expenditure? As we are losing 13% of local authority staff as a result of the recruitment embargo and, therefore, no longer have people to do the direct build of social housing, social housing must be provided by the private sector. Is that not more costly in the end? We get nothing at the end of...

Public Service Staff (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is a genuine question about expenditure.

Pension Provisions (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Question 3: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the fact that a pension levy was imposed on the income of ordinary public sector workers to secure their pension entitlements, if it is his intention to retain their current retirement age; if he will give an assurance that their current pension entitlements will be maintained; and if he will make a statement on...

Pension Provisions (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Does the Minister agree that the cut of 7% in the incomes of public sector workers as a result of the pension levy together with the universal social charge were a gross injustice, given that whatever flaws there may be in the public service, it was not public sector workers who created the economic crisis? In the context of pay, public sector workers have taken a massive hit with the result...

Pension Provisions (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is it fair or even prudent, when there is significant unemployment and graduates coming out of university not being able to find jobs, to make the working life longer for people employed in the public sector or elsewhere, instead of maintaining the existing retirement age as a consequence of which there would be more jobs for the young qualifying graduates?

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Question 5: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans, if any, to review the public sector recruitment embargo in particular in relation to its impact on frontline services and its real cost savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20624/11]

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister is right to treat with contempt the interrogation of Fianna Fáil on the reasons why we are in this disastrous situation. Is it not the case that the Government's decision to adhere to the EU-IMF austerity programme, continuing with the public sector recruitment embargo, is not leading to reform but towards a slaughtering of public services? The figures in education indicate...

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is not the case that, with nearly 5,500 health service workers down as a result of the embargo, this is the reason or hospitals and accident and emergency services are closing down? It is not unbelievable that 13%-----

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: That is a question. I said "Is it not the case".

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Acting Chairman is cutting into my time.

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Is it not the case that continuing with the embargo on the slaughtering of our public services that, for example, a 13% cut in staffing in local authorities means local services are slaughtered? Is it not time for the Minister to reconsider the sanity of this embargo if we are to have any public services for the people of this country?

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: A brief supplementary-----

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Just one line.

Croke Park Agreement (14 Jul 2011)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In so far as the Minister is considering the use of outsourcing agency workers, will he confirm that agency workers are being used in peak hours for processing medical cards at the centre in Finglas? In those circumstances, is the Minister quantifying the cost of using agency workers as against direct employment by public servants? Also, in his comprehensive spending review are such costs...